Distinguished Service Awards

The nomination period for the 2013 award is now closed.

Nomination form Deadline: June 3

Honorees are recognized for:

• Contributions to leadership in statewide court administration, including the breadth and impact of their work and the longevity of these efforts;
• Leadership and commitment in partnering with the judicial branch to achieve positive changes in statewide court administration (for the Stanley Mosk Award only);
• Advancement of Judicial Council goals: access, fairness, and diversity; independence and accountability; modernization of management and administration; quality of justice and service to the public; education for branchwide professional excellence; and branchwide infrastructure for service excellence;
• Personal dedication and/or a willingness to take risks to achieve goals;
• Strength in overcoming challenges or limitations.

 

News Release: 2012 Distinguished Service Awards

These awards were presented on Dec 13, 2012, in San Francisco. See photo gallery .

Stanley Mosk Defender of Justice Award
 —Captain Matthew Patrick Manoukian, posthumously, of the United States Marines, on behalf of all members of the armed services who are protecting access to justice through their sacrifice and service to our country. 

Ronald M. George Award for Judicial Excellence
 —Justice Richard D. Huffman, Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District (San Diego), was honored for his service to the Judicial Council from 1997 to 2011 and ongoing commitment to issues facing the judicial branch.

—Judge Wendy S. Lindley, Superior Court of Orange County, was honored for pioneering innovative problem-solving courts and providing meaningful access to justice to veterans, the homeless, the addicted, and the mentally ill.

William C. Vickrey Leadership in Judicial Administration Award
 —Jody Patel, AOC Chief of State, as Interim Administrative Director of the Courts, was selected for initiating organizational and operational changes to improve the Administrative Office of the Courts’ (AOC) effectiveness, efficiency, transparency, and accountability in serving the Judicial Council, the courts, and the public.

Bernard E. Witkin Amicus Curiae Award
 —Mary Lavery Flynn, Director, Office of Legal Services, State Bar of California, was selected for her over 32 years of service in identifying issues and solutions to the problems facing low- income persons accessing the justice system in California.

Richard D. Huffman Justice for Children & Families Award
 —Judge Stephen V. Manley, Superior Court of Santa Clara County, was honored for his leadership role in developing collaborative justice court programs for children and families and for bringing the issues of children and families into the collaborative justice courts addressing adult criminal cases to provide them with a complete solution to their family issues

 

News Release: 2011 Distinguished Service Awards Ronald M. George Award for Judicial Excellence This award honors members of the judiciary for their extraordinary dedication to the highest principles of the administration of justice. The award was previously called the Jurist of the Year Award. Administrative Presiding Justice Brad R. Hill, of the Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District (Fresno), was honored for his contributions to the statewide administration of justice and for his work to ensure a fair system of justice that is accessible to all Californians. William C. Vickrey Leadership in Judicial Administration Award This award honors individuals in judicial administration for significant contributions to and leadership in their profession. Michael D. Planet, Court Executive Officer of the Superior Court of Ventura County, was selected for his outstanding service to the Judicial Council and for improving the administration of justice statewide and in Ventura County. Bernard E. Witkin Amicus Curiae Award This award honors individuals other than members of the judiciary for their outstanding contributions to the courts of California. Joseph W. Cotchett, partner at the law firm of Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, was selected for his decades of dedicated service to California’s judicial branch and his commitment to improving the administration of justice. Stanley Mosk Defender of Justice Award Named after the late Justice Stanley Mosk, who spent almost six decades in public service as California Attorney General, judge, and Supreme Court justice and was well-known for his unwavering support of individual liberties. State Senator Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) is the 2011 recipient of the Stanley Mosk Defender of Justice Award for her strong support of the California judicial branch of government.

Ronald M. George Award for Judicial Excellence (Formerly Jurist of the Year)

• 2011 Hon. Brad R. Hill
• 2010 Hon. Arthur G. Scotland
• 2009 Hon. Ming W. Chin
• 2008 Hon. J. Richard Couzens and Hon. David S. Wesley
• 2007 Hon. Norman L. Epstien
• 2006 Hon. Richard D. Aldrich
• 2004-2005 Hon. Patricia Bamattre-Manoukian and Hon. Frederick Paul Horn
• 2003 Hon. James D. Ward, Hon. Carol A. Corrigan, and Hon. Leonard P. Edwards
• 2002 Hon. James Allen Bascue and Hon. Lois Haight
• 2001 Hon. Daniel J. Kremer
• 2000 Hon. Veronica McBeth and Hon. Judith D. McConnell
• 1999 Hon. Kathleen E. O'Leary and Hon. James A. Ardaiz
• 1998 Hon. John A. Flaherty
• 1997 Hon. Steven E. Jahr
• 1996 Hon. Robert M. Mallano
• 1995 Hon. Roger K. Warren
• 1994 Hon. Roy L. Wonder
• 1993 Hon. Patrick J. Morris and Hon. H. Walter Croskey

William C. Vickrey Leadership in Judicial Administration Award (Formerly Judicial Administration Award)

• 2011 Michael Planet
• 2010 Curtis L. Child
• 2009 Stephen Nash
• 2008 Sharol Strickland
• 2007 Ken Torre
• 2006 Tressa Sloan Kentner and Patricia M. Yerian
• 2004-2005 Jody Patel and Karen M. Thorson
• 2003 Jeanne Millsaps and Christine M. Hansen
• 2002 Tamara Lynn Beard and Ray LeBov
• 2001 Michael M. Roddy
• 2000 Stephen V. Love and Christine Patton
• 1999 Frederick "Fritz" Ohlrich and Kiri S. Torre
• 1998 Susan Null and William C. Vickrey
• 1997 Alan Slater
• 1996 Ronald G. Overholt
• 1995 Sheila Calabro
• 1994 Arthur Sims and Diane Nunn
• 1993 Edward M. Kritzman

Bernard E. Witkin Amicus Curiae Award

• 2011 Joseph W. Cotchett
• 2010 Senator Darrell S. Steinberg
• 2009 James P. Fox and Gary Windom
• 2008 Kenneth W. Babcock
• 2007 Hon. Sandra Day O'Connor
• 2006 John M. Hancock
• 2004-2005 Alba Witkin
• 2003 James Herman and Hon. George Deukmejian
• 2002 Jay Folberg
• 2001 William A. Fenwick
• 2000 Andrew Guilford
• 1999 Hon. Elwood Lui (Ret.)
• 1998 J. Clark Kelso
• 1997 Hon. Pete Wilson
• 1996 Hon. Phillip Isenberg
• 1995 Larry L. Sipes
• 1994 Margaret Morrow and Alan Post
• 1993 Richard Chernick

Stanley Mosk Defender of Justice Award

• 2011 State Senator Noreen Evans
• 2010 State Senator Mike Feuer
• 2007 Justice Paul Boland (posthumously)
• 2006 Senator Joe Dunn